New Delhi, Feb 10 (PTI) Just installing ramps for people who are disabled is not enough, rights activists said here, asserting that the government must ensure that the new Parliament building is accessible to people with different disabilities.
The debate around the current Parliament building not being disabled-friendly ignited after former prime minister Dr Manmohan Singh was designated a seat in the last row of Rajya Sabha as it was difficult to bring his wheelchair to the front row.
The disability rights activists hoped that the new Parliament building under construction addresses all kinds of disabilities and is not just made accessible to people who are physically challenged.
Asked about this, a Central Public Works Department (CPWD) official said the new Parliament will adhere to all requisite guidelines as prescribed by the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016.
National Platform for the Rights of the Disabled (NPRD) general secretary Muralidharan said it needs to be understood that every disability has its own requirement.
“Disability accessibility is not a question of just physical accessibility alone. People think ramp construction is enough but they need to understand that this alone does not address the problem. There are gradient components to it too, at times it is very steep so the ratio of the ramp has to be kept in mind,” he said.
Every disability has its own requirement. A person with visual disability has a different kind of requirement than a person with hearing impairment. Accessible toilets are also needed, just a western commode is not enough, Muralidharan said.
A wheelchair user has many needs too, he added.
“Does the new Parliament address that,” the activist asked.
Accessibility of water taps has to be checked as well, he said, adding, “These are the things which are not kept in mind. People think having a ramp is enough, even having an escalator is not enough, what we need is an elevator, which is preferable. And within a single disability also there are many requirements.” Arman Ali, executive director at the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People, too said accessibility cannot merely transcend to building ramps.
“The need of the hour is to make accessibility for disabled persons a universal concept, not just on paper but in actuality. The Parliament building for instance needs to be accessible to all persons with disabilities. Disability doesn’t solely come in the form of a wheelchair user. But in all forms, it also requires other accessibility needs, access to information in all accessible formats,” he said.
Ali suggested the usage of large prints and sign language interpretation during the session.
“Parliament’s accessibility should not be limited to a particular row for ease of mobility but the entire House, including the Speaker’s chair. India is at the forefront of cultural and economic growth. However, what is lacking is the representation of disabled people in the political arena. Thus it is high time we start giving political representation to people with disability in Parliament, among other sectors,” he added.
Dr Satendra Singh, a disability rights activist and founder of the Doctors with Disabilities group, said as per the Accessible India campaign, many audits are happening but unless a person is a wheelchair user, their needs are not understood properly.
“Only when a disabled person visits Parliament, will we know the real picture. Ramps are the only visible feature, after that no one cares. The harmonised guidelines of the government for addressing accessibility are self explanatory but the problem is the officials are not well-trained to follow them. Even two steps can be like climbing the Everest for some people with disabilities,” he said.
The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 provided a timeline of five years for making all existing public buildings accessible by June 14, 2022 but only 585 state buildings and 1,030 central government buildings have been made barrier-free for the disabled till now. PTI UZM IJT
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